Snapshots
by KitKatt0430
Summary: “I wish we weren’t so cheap,” Selphie grumbled.  “This is what I get for hopping on the wrong transport: blistered feet.”    A series of ingame oneshots that watch over the fated children through the eyes of my quirky interpretation of them.
1. Snapshot 1

Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

The copy of FF8 I played was borrowed from a friend and was a PC version that... sort of died on the third disk. I managed to get a general idea of what happened next using borrowed saves from kind people on various forums, going ahead to fight the final battle, and reading the summary on wikipedia as well as several fan sites. My snapshots, however, stop around the same place where my game died. If anyone wants me to continue after I've run out of chapters, I'll do it... but it may skip ahead for post game snapshots.

**_First Step_**

"I wish we weren't so cheap," Selphie grumbled. "This is what I get for hopping on the wrong transport: blistered feet."

Zell patted Selphie's shoulder in a quasi-comforting manner and then, grinning irrepressibly, ran ahead to execute a few gymnastic flips. "At least the weather is nice; the temperature isn't too hot or too cold. On a day like this, everyone should be in a good mood. Even Squall is scowling less fierce than usual."

Selphie smiled and laughed a little. "I suppose you've got a point. But I still feel the need to deafen Seifer's ears when we get back to Garden."

"I'll help." Zell punched the air a few times. "Want to come too, Squall?"

"I'll pass."

Both Selphie and Zell stopped short to stare at Squall in surprise.

"Wow… I thought you'd just ignore me again," Zell said in a surprised voice.

Squall shrugged. "Maybe you two don't irritate me so much anymore."

"Gee, thanks," Selphie drawled dryly.

"You don't know Squall very well, Selphie," Zell admonished. "That was a compliment of the highest caliber."

"Really?" Selphie gave Squall a sideways glance. "So you genuinely just don't talk much, huh?" She laughed when he nodded in agreement. "You're pretty weird, Squall, but I like that. It makes you unique and unpredictable."

"Instructor Trepe has no problem predicting me," Squall admitted. "It's rather annoying."

"What does she do?" Selphie inquired.

Zell snickered as they began to walk again. "Instructor Trepe will say the exact same thing as Squall at almost the exact same moment Squall says it. Some of the students have taken to referring to her habit as an attempt to learn to 'speak Squall.'"

"Ouch, that must be bothersome," Selphie agreed. "Hey, look! We've almost reached the Garden!" Selphie started to hop around happily and then collapsed on the ground, her hands reaching for her feet. "Owowowow…"

"Blisters?" Zell queried, offering the girl a hand up.

"Uh-huh. I'll have to stop by the infirmary when we get back to Garden," Selphie grabbed Zell's hand and lurched to her feet. "Ow…"

"Here," Squall muttered a few words to cast a cure spell.

"Oh…" Selphie took a few hesitant steps and then whirled around to give Squall a brief hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Laughing, she twirled around before taking off towards the Garden. "Hurry up, you two!"

Zell took her words as a challenge and began to race after the hyperactive girl. Squall, on the other hand, shook his head ruefully and continued to walk after the others.

A/N Selphie and Zell, the first members of Squall's squad, hold a special place in my little world and, thus, their friendship with Squall will hold a special place in this 'snapshot' series.


	2. Snapshot 2

Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

_**Insane**_

Squall blinked and very seriously considered ignoring Zell in favor of collapsing for the night in his quarters. Between that crazy girl at the ball – who's name he didn't even know – and Quistis trying to force him into the mold of what she wanted… _he_ just wanted the night to end. "What?" he said instead.

After all, if he could spare time for Selphie's Festival Committee then he could spare time to hear out the hyperactive blonde too.

"Now that we're SeeD, we get our own quarters. You've been assigned to the single across the hall from the room you've already got." Zell wrinkled his nose distastefully; "I have to move down an entire floor in order to take the room beside your new one."

"When do we have to be moved in by?"

"Nine tomorrow morning."

"What?!" Squall rolled his eyes. "This is ridiculous."

"I know. It's inhuman… insane… and proof that the faculty are both." Zell shadowboxed in frustration. "I need to go pack or I'll never be done in time."

"Do you know if Selphie has left the party yet?"

"Huh? I think so. Her room is down the hall from ours." Zell paused and then added, "but I don't know where she is currently. What if she doesn't know that she needs to move?"

The door to the two-person dorm Squall was sharing popped open. "There you are!" Selphie bounced out. "I've been looking all over for you, Squall. I was hoping that you and I could discuss times for Festival Committee meetings since you're… well… the only person who agreed to join. Unless… Zell…" Selphie turned to face her tattooed prey. "It'd be fun. Just the three of us planning parties and dictating the great social gatherings of Garden."

"You want us to be tyrants?" Zell glanced over at Squall and raised an eyebrow. "And you agreed to this?"

Squall shrugged. "Whatever…"

"_See!_ That translates to 'it'll be awesome!' Join us, Zell." Selphie bounced over to stand in front of Squall, while facing Zell.

The brunette stared straight at Zell and mouthed 'don't make me suffer alone.'

"Fine. But you two have to help me finish moving when you're done getting into your new rooms, okay?"

"You betcha!" Selphie hopped up and down.

"Whatever."

"Wait!" Selphie suddenly froze. "What new rooms?"

A/N Selphie: an almighty force to be reckoned with. As for why she was in Squall's room… well, she was in there before he went to the party. It felt right for her to be there afterwards. Somehow, of course, they manage to get everything into their rooms before the deadline and get at least a small amount of sleep before being bundled off to Timber…


	3. Snapshot 3

Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

_**Jealousy**_

Quistis was there, but she didn't need to be. Professionally speaking, the trio were no longer her students. Not that Selphie ever really had been her student to begin with. The copper haired girl had missed the only class she'd have ever had with Instructor Trepe, after all.

Personally speaking… the three weren't even her friends. The only thing keeping her there was her own desire to see them off… to see Squall off, if she was being honest.

The things he'd said the night before still stung and Quistis knew that she'd made a mistake. Choosing him to speak to as well as trying to force a reaction from him: she'd pushed him in an attempt to force him from his comfort zone and he'd lashed back.

"Hey!!" Zell's shout brought Quistis' attention back to the present as the blonde whined over the loss of his T-board.

"Get over it," Squall grumbled, lightly whapping the blonde man on the back of his head.

Zell sheepishly rubbed at the spot that Squall had hit and grew silent while Selphie started giggling. Quistis watched the trio in surprise; she'd never seen Squall act like this. The change wasn't much… but it was still noticeable.

Cid showed up then and gave them their assignment. Quistis stayed off to the side, envious that she couldn't go with them.

"Wow. This is awesome!" Zell hooked an arm around Squall's shoulders and another over Selphie's. "We get to have our first mission together!"

"Whatever. Could you let me go, now?" Squall squirmed away from Zell. The brunette's expression was distinctly uncomfortable. "Don't ever do that again."

"Sure, sure," Zell chirped, reluctantly dropping his arms away from both teammates.

"We're off to the Owls of Timber! The wonderful Owls of Timber!" Selphie sang the words to a vaguely familiar tune as she dashed ahead of her two companions.

"Geez, Selphie, even I'm not this wired," Zell complained as he and Squall followed the short, hyper redhead. "How much coffee have you had this morning?"

"Oh, I don't drink coffee. It's bad for you if you have too much and, besides, you wind up getting addicted to the caffeine and stop being able to function without it and…"

"We get your point, Selphie," Squall interrupted. "Now, either make that sentence end or stop trying to finish it."

"Whoops. I do tend to ramble on when I'm excited…"

Quistis snickered and decided that maybe it was Squall who should be envious of her for getting to stay behind rather than her being envious of them…

A/N Hehehe… sometimes I felt so sorry for Quistis. Most of the time, though, I just think she wasn't realizing how lucky she is.


	4. Snapshot 4

Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

A/N - I meant to post this a long time ago, but a lot of things came up and Snapshots - as well as all my other fanfictions - were placed on the back burner and effectively forgotten. My friend, who goes by the SN Emcey Squared on this website, has gotten me back into writing fanfics and I'm trying to finish up my old stuff before starting too many new things.

_**Protection**_

Rinoa drew back in surprise as Squall passed out. Moments later, Quistis and Selphie joined their squad leader on the ground.

"Well, at least we're reasonably safe right now," Zell muttered. "Good thing we're not still on the train like last time."

"Last time? What are you talking about?" Rinoa knelt beside Squall and attempted not to panic as she checked the SeeD agent's vitals.

"It's some sort of Dream World. I'm not sure exactly; this only happened once before on the train to Timber." Zell walked over and sat down beside Rinoa. "Selphie, Squall, and I fell asleep like this and suddenly we were watching over a trio of Galbadian Soldiers during what I think was the Esthar-Galbadia Sorceress War. Their names were Laguna, Kiros, and Ward."

"And Squall, Selphie, and Quistis are there now in the Dream World?" Rinoa sighed irritably. "_Great_ timing."

"It's not their fault," Zell snapped. "When they wake, why don't you do everyone a favor and lay off insulting Squall? Maybe he isn't your idea of a model leader, but the rest of us like him just fine the way he is. Squall doesn't lie to us about how bad things might get; he's honest, if brutally so. We know he's listens to us and respects us because he talks to us instead of just issuing commands."

"Leaders are supposed to support…"

"He does support us."

"How?"

"He's been letting me vent my worries instead of trying to shut me up. And, yeah, I know he's rather pessimistic himself, but that just makes being the most pessimistic a competition." Zell grinned impishly. "I like competitions."

"You're weird."

"So says you. I say that I'm unique."

"One of a kind, thank goodness," Rinoa teased. "I'll stop arguing with Squall, okay? I just… I wish I understood him."

"Don't we all."

A/N Zell strikes me as the kind of person who conceals a serious side beneath his hot temper and goofy attitude. When it comes to people he cares about, though, I think he'd protect them as fiercely as possible.


	5. Snapshot 5

Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

_**Squad**_

Squall retreated to the darkest corner he could find in the entry hall of Galbadia Garden. Leaning against the wall, he sank to the floor and sat with his knees pulled up to his chest.

It was the strangest feeling to know that Seifer was dead. Seifer would never come back to irritate anyone again or start fights or break the rules… It wasn't even that Squall had particularly liked Seifer because, if anything, he had the most cause to hate Seifer out of everyone who'd met the guy. It was knowing someone who _wasn't_ _there_ anymore.

"You bottle everything up way too much," Selphie declared. Startled, Squall looked up in surprise to see Selphie and Zell sit down next to him. "I mean, I get that you like to be a loner and all, but you still bottle stuff up too much."

Zell shot the brunette girl an amused glance and shrugged. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"No you aren't," Selphie automatically contradicted. Ignoring Squall's glare, she plowed ahead. "Seifer's dead and we're all upset about it. Ergo, none of us are okay right now. "

"I didn't even get along with him," Squall protested.

Selphie nodded slowly, "that seems to be the general consensus from anyone whose name doesn't begin in 'R'. Still, he was from a Garden and he was in your class," she gestured to both guys, "and I seriously would have decked him for abandoning us without a ride if I hadn't made SeeD before I found him. The point is that we were all affected by his life; thus, we're affected by his death."

"I guess so," Zell agreed unhappily. "If we run into that Sorceress…"

"We'll just have to let her know how much we don't appreciate her capturing and executing Seifer," Squall took over. "And you'll at least attempt to keep your temper in check, right?"

"I'll give it a shot," Zell replied sheepishly. "I can't guarantee anything, though. My mom swears I should have been a redhead so that the world would be forewarned about my short fuse."

"We're squad… friends… right?" Selphie inquired, surveying her two companions. "So… whenever we need something, someone to talk to, or to just not be alone, we can go to one another, promise?"

"Promise," was Zell's immediate response.

For a moment Squall froze; he liked being alone… but maybe having these two around wasn't so bad. "Promise," he pledged. Two sets of eyes regarded him with a mixture of surprise and pleasure at his words.

-=-=-=-=

Irvine hurried around Squall and reentered the embarkation/disembarkation room, leaving the team leader alone in the hall with Selphie. The girl didn't seem to notice Squall as she muttered, "my heart is racing… what is this feeling?"

"You'll need to get used to the stress and pressure on this mission," Squall cautioned, his words catching Selphie's attention.

"I-I know." Selphie turned to face Squall with a fake smile plastered on her face. "When will we arrive at Deling?"

"Soon enough," Squall responded. There was a long silence before Squall added, "if Irvine bothers you again, just find Zell or me and we'll get him to lay off."

"You mean it?" Selphie's smile faded a little and grew genuine. "Thank you, Squall."

"We're squad," Squall reminded her.

"Good!" Twirling about, Selphie began to sing, "Train, train, take me away. Far away…"

A/N A train ride isn't a train ride without her silly song. ;)

I love Irvine, but he irritated me at first, just like he did his fellow characters. I'm envious of Selphie, though… she got to steal his hat. I would have soooo much fun doing that myself.

^_^


	6. Snapshot 6

Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

Tortured

Seifer walked down the hallways of the prison and tried to push Squall's words from his mind. After all, he was Seifer Almasy, the knight of the Sorceress. Except…

"…_A torturer…"_

"No, I'm not," he muttered angrily. "You brought that on yourself, Squall. All you had to do was tell me…"

Screams echoed through the center of the building and reached Seifer's ears. There was so much pain in the sound that it almost made Seifer want to turn around and free his prisoner. He wouldn't, though. SeeD was the enemy, so Squall was the enemy. They all wanted to kill his Sorceress Edea; they had already tried once.

"_I-I don't know…" Squall rasped. "I don't… think there is one." His breathing was harsh and his voice was hoarse from screaming. _

"_I have other things to take care of, assassin," Seifer drawled. "So, he'll continue your questioning."_

"_Torture…"_

"_Questioning," Seifer repeated firmly. "You're friends can hear your screams; did you know?"_

"_Then, even as you… as you leave, you'll… still hear." A steely light entered Squall's eyes. "You'll hear and remember… and be haunted… because you're no knight… you're just a… a torturer…"_

Seifer shook his head, trying to rid himself of Squall's words. It just wouldn't seem to work.

--=--

The metal monster rent another tear through the fabric of Squall's jacket, this time carving into the dark-haired teenager as well. Screams of pain forced themselves out of the young man's pain-wracked frame. The dark robed figure commanding the creature laughed.

Both sounds seemed so familiar…

Seifer struggled to escape the invisible bonds that held him in place and kept him from running to help Squall. "No! Let me go! Let me stop this!"

"Why should you stop this?" Edea's voice whispered in Seifer's mind. "Squall is our enemy. He would humiliate us, kill us even, should we let him go. Besides, he needs to answer us."

"This isn't right…"

"Really?" The dark robed figure mocked.

Seifer tensed as he recognized the voice.

The figure walked up to Seifer and whispered, "if this is wrong, then why are you doing it?" The hood of the robe lowered to reveal a face with pale blonde hair and a scar centered between two angry emerald eyes…

Seifer jerked awake in his bed, his mouth open wide in silent screams.

A/N Ah, Seifer… I probably won't mess with him in these Snapshots too much. But this seemed… rather necissary.


	7. Snapshot 7

Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

_**Hesitation**_

"I'm sorry."

"Huh?" Zell twisted in his seat to stare at Irvine.

"What for?" was Squall's reply, not taking his eyes off the road as he drove.

"For screwing up the mission."

"Zell, take over driving," Squall commanded as he switched the Galbadian vehicle to cruise control and stood up. As the blonde settled into Squall's abandoned chair, Squall walked over to sit across from Irvine. Leveling an irritated scowl at the cowboy, he asked, "how exactly do you think you screwed up the mission? I need to know what sort of idiotic idea I'm about to… shoot down, after all."

"I hesitated on the tower; if I hadn't then…"

"Then maybe the shot would have hit Edea instead of getting bounced off her shield?" Squall finished. "Wouldn't have happened. The second the gates started falling around her, she was on her feet and waiting for trouble. The only thing that matters is that you still did what had to be done when it counted."

"I… I know that she's probably going to start another Sorceress War, but I'm glad that the shot was blocked," Irvine admitted. Ignoring a squawked 'what!' from Zell, the sharpshooter continued. "We were trained for confrontation against equally armed enemies. Lying in wait to shoot a defenseless person, no matter who, seems… wrong."

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions," Squall quoted. "Sometimes there is no right thing to do."

"Squall's right," Zell said to cut off whatever Irvine was about to say. "So stop beating yourself up over 'might-have-been's and maybes. Besides, this mission ain't over 'till the fat lady sings."

"But our ladies are thin, violent, and tone-deaf," Irvine protested, finally smiling again. "Speaking of which… is Selphie seeing anyone? 'Cause… well… she's something special, isn't she?"

"She's not dating anyone," Zell confirmed. "However, as her teammates, Squall and I get to fill in the empty 'protective brothers' position."

Irvine paled as Squall raised an eyebrow. The gunblader had already shifted his expression back into its normal, neutral position.

"I swear my intentions are honorable. Please don't kill me…"

"Stop scaring Irvine, Squall."

"I didn't say or do anything," Squall protested, his hands raising slight as he proclaimed his innocence.

"You don't need to," Zell retorted. "You can scare people through sheer intimidation; you're just creepy that way."

"Thanks," was the drawled reply.

"I'm just surprised you haven't started ignoring me again."

"Don't tempt me."

A/N And thus Irvine finds acceptance. Yay!! Though… it seems that 'sheer intimidation' doesn't work on Zell very well.


	8. Snapshot 8

Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, is a 'snapshot' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

_**Eye of the Storm**_

Squall shot up into a sitting position on the train bunk. Trying hard not to scream at the memories made reality again by nightmares, he shook like a leaf and struggled to breathe properly.

"Squall? Squall, what is it?" Rinoa sat down beside the dark haired mercenary. "Are you alright?" She reached over and ran her hand over his forehead. "You're all clammy. Oh no, you're sick, aren't you?!"

"I'm not sick," Squall protested, though he knew that the raspy sound of his voice wasn't winning him any points. Rinoa's doubtful stare made that obvious enough. Clearing his throat, he continued. "Really, I'm not."

"Then what is it?"

Squall looked across the train car and settled his gaze on a window. Taking a deep breath, he decided to answer. "In the prison… do you remember hearing someone screaming?"

"Yes…" Rinoa's eyes grew distant. "They told us that it was the sound of our friend being tortured. We thought that they were trying to psyche us out. I didn't think that Seifer was…"

"Capable of something like that?" Squall filled in. Rinoa nodded pathetically. "The guards weren't lying. You were hearing me."

Rinoa's expression grew shocked. "Oh my… I-I'll kill that… that… none of the words I know are bad enough to describe him, and I know enough to make some sailors blush!"

"Tch, tch, do you two need a chaperone?" Zell teased, walking our of the train's engine room.

"No," Rinoa answered sweetly, "but you might need a guardian angel to protect you from my wrath, should you continue to choose to irritate me."

"Ouch… what is it with beautiful women and threatening me these days?" Zell glanced back at the engine room. "I'd say my shift is over, now. Who's next?"

Stumbling to his feet, Squall turned towards the engine room. "Uh-uh," Rinoa objected, latching onto Squall's left arm. "You got stabbed with a giant icicle, tortured, and hung off the side of a sinking building all within the last forty-eight hours. You need more sleep."

"I need _rest_ and I think I've already proved that I'm not going to get any," Squall argued, making a few attempts to pull free of her grasp.

"She's right," Zell walked over and latched onto Squall's other arm to help force him back onto the bunk. "You look like hell's warmed over."

"Check his temperature," Rinoa advised. "Hell has _frozen_ over, not warmed."

Doing as told, Zell reached up to check Squall's temperature. Weakly, Squall batted his tattooed friend away. "Would you both stop?"

Exchanging smirks, Rinoa and Zell shook their heads. "Nope." "Uh-uh."

"I should have brought Irvine and Quistis," Squall muttered half-heartedly. "They'd let me be."

"Not our Quistis. She'd knock you unconcious," Zell winced and rubbed his forehead. "At least… that's what she did to me when I got my tattoo. Apparently, our beautiful instructress didn't approve."

Rinoa giggled and hopped to her feet. "I'll take over the engine room. Both of you: get some sleep. We'll be back at Balamb, soon, and I know you two will be happy to get back home." With her part said, Rinoa walked out of the train car.

"I have a bad feeling that our homecoming isn't going to be as smooth as we've been hoping," Zell muttered. "Nothing's gone right since the Sorceress showed up; why shouldn't everything be messed up?"

"Maybe…" Squall shook his head and lay back down. "Balamb Garden is our home, though. So no matter what might be happening there, I know we'll fight to save it."

"Definitely." Zell clambered up the nearby ladder onto the top bunk.

A/N I admit it. I'm a Squinoa fan. There will be lots of Squinoa in this fanfic series. However, if someone can inspire me with a plot, I wouldn't be averse to writing a Quistis/Squall or a Selphie/Squall story. I'm not too picky about pairings, after all. I just like to have happy characters and a world in one piece.

Also, yay for friends. Squall's gonna have friends whether he likes it or not.


	9. Snapshot 9

Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

Squall's a little more OoC than usual here, but that's okay with me. I hope my dear readers don't mind either...

_**Tour**_

"And for those who arrive late for hotdogs, this is what happens," Squall finished his 'lecture' and gestured for Rinoa to turn around. In silence, the duo watched as the student on cafeteria duty told Zell that they were out of hotdogs.

Taking a few dejected steps away from the counter, Zell dropped to his knees and leaned over to smack his fists to the ground as he exclaimed "why?!!" His face dropped until he was mere inches from whacking his nose into the ground. "How have I offended the food gods so badly that they deprive me of the almighty hotdog?!"

"Food gods?" echoed Rinoa with a giggle.

Nodding sagely, Squall observed, "Zell's acting particularly dramatic today, it seems." Leaning over he whispered, "sometimes the people on cafeteria duty lie to him just to see his reaction."

"Why? Cruel, cruel world, why dost thou torment me? Is it because I defied the laws of tradition on my last train ride?" Zell continued, apparently oblivious to the laughter his scene was creating.

"The 'laws of tradition' he speaks of are letting Selphie into the main part of the train first and listening to her sing this really odd song," Squall clarified. Rinoa dissolved completely into laughter as she nicked a chair from a nearby table to sit on as she watched.

"Oh, look," the girl on cafeteria duty exclaimed, "I was wrong. There is one plate of hotdogs left." Holding out the plate, she waited patiently for Zell to stand and accept the offering.

"Thank you, oh blessed angel," Zell told the girl solemnly as he snagged the plate of hot dogs.

Unable to take anymore, Rinoa fell out of her chair from laughing too hard. Dazed, she sat on the floor, giggling and struggling for breath.

Squall stole her vacant chair and twisted it around so that he could sit on it backwards. "You were saying something rather derogatory earlier about my ability to give tours. Would you care to refute it now?"

"H-how can you stay so… so serious and still tease me?" Rinoa demanded, finally starting to calm down. She didn't get up, but she did narrow her eyes slightly at the brunette sitting in her chair.

"Dead-pan delivery," Squall answered with a dismissive wave of his hand. "If I'm anything other than serious, certain skittish people, who shall remain unnamed to protect the idiots, start proclaiming that the apocalypse is coming and that everyone should build a personal nuclear fallout facility."

Rinoa snickered as she stood, but managed not to dissolve into laughter again. "So, what's next on the agenda?"

"The salad bar," Squall rose to his feet and put the chair back where Rinoa found it. "I missed breakfast and now its lunch."

"Sounds like a good idea. I'm starving, too," Rinoa agreed. "Will you show me around the quad after lunch?"

"Sure…"

A/N Okay… so it didn't happen like this in the game… but don't tell me that the idea of Zell worshipping food gods isn't funny. My test audience (a.k.a., my friends at school) thought it was hilarious. Can you imagine? The vending machines are Zell's alters to the food gods, the students who land cafeteria duty are the angels, and anyone who insults the hot dogs are damned to food god hell.


	10. Snapshot 10

Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

_**Welcome**_

"Waiting for someone?"

Irvine jumped and stumbled into the railing behind him at the sound of Squall's voice. "Cid invited the mechanics in to fix Garden. I figured you'd appreciate a heads up."

"Thanks." The two brunettes began walking back towards the Garden. "Is something wrong?"

"No…" Irvine paused, adding, "do you think that I could get the mechanics to repair a few things aside from just Garden?"

"If it doesn't retract from the repairs somehow, I don't see why not," Squall answered, staring at Garden with an unreadable expression. "This is so strange."

"What?"

"Balamb Garden flew out here to the middle of the ocean and now it's hovering, of all things. It's just… weird."

Laughing quietly and trying not to let Squall's irritated glower make him laugh harder, Irvine managed to say, "that's the most teenager-like I've ever heard you sound."

Crossing his arms and tilting his head back to see Garden better, Squall told Irvine, "I'm used to being left alone, so I'm not very good at acting my age. The whole 'depending on others and having them depend on me' thing… I don't like that at all."

"Would it help," Irvine mused, looking away, "if you depended on people you trust?"

"That does make this easier," Squall agreed, "since I do trust my squad. I should have said this before, but it slipped my mind. Welcome to the team, Irvine."

"Uh… thank you…" this time the silence was companionable as they approached Garden's entrance. As the door slid open in front of them, Irvine spoke again. "Selphie's in the Quad and she's been acting all upset. You should go talk to her; cheer her up a little."

"I don't know how to cheer people up," Squall grumbled as he turned in the direction of the elevator.

"Then I'll go too."

"Good."

A/N Another one down, more to go. :)


	11. Snapshot 11

Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

**Worry**

Squall walked in silence next to Rinoa, who was still ticked off about… whatever it was he'd done wrong. Sometimes she was just so hard to understand.

Garden came into view, and Squall came to a halt. His head rose to see the entire structure and all that had been settled on his shoulders flooded his mind. _I can't do this. I've only just been inducted into SeeD; I'm barely qualified to lead my team, much less an entire Garden… I'm too inexperienced. What the **hell** is Headmaster Cid thinking?_

"You've got that look on your face again," Rinoa commented.

Startled, Squall brought his gaze back to Rinoa. She'd stopped in front of him and turned to stare expectantly at him. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do," he finally said. "Headmaster Cid expects so much of me and… I'm just as lost as everyone else."

"That's why you need the rest of us. So what if we're all lost. Better to be lost together than apart, right?" Rinoa smiled. "Don't worry about screwing up, or anything. You always seem to go with an instinctive reaction that either works or works enough that it only needs a few changes as we go along. I have faith in you; so does everyone else."

"Why? You didn't particularly like my leadership on the way to Galbadia Garden."

"I just didn't know you well enough then." Rinoa looked away, abashed. "Zell was mad at me when the rest of you got pulled into the Dream World. He's really protective of his friends and he told me… that you aren't one who minces words or makes promises you can't keep. You won't lie to cause others to feel better, either, but you acknowledge them and respect them and that is why we follow you."

"Did Zell really say all that, or are you paraphrasing?"

"Maybe… a little of both, though that's mostly what he said." Rinoa smiled. "See, don't you feel just a tiny bit better for having talked with someone."

"I don't know." Squall shook his head. "I'm sorry. I just don't know."

"You've been alone too long," Rinoa reached out and latched onto Squall's hand. "Let's see if we can get them to play a different song," she declared, turning them around and steering them back towards their friends and the off-key music that they were playing. "At the very least, we can convince Zell not to try that butchered guitar solo again."

Part of him desperately wanted to pull away and race back to Garden. He'd always been alone. No one could hurt him that way… except… there was something to the warmth he felt when he saw what his team had done for him. It had been as if a missing part of himself was trying to fill back in.

"Anything but that guitar solo," Squall found himself agreeing.

A/N Squall's family… hehe… I absolutely loved the band that Selphie made them put together and using Rinoa as 'bait' was priceless. :)


	12. Snapshot 12

Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

**Inclusion**

_Now I really am the outsider,_ Rinoa thought dejectedly as she took a seat, alone, in the cafeteria. The hour was late and everyone was supposed to be either at their guard posts or in their dorms, but Rinoa couldn't sleep. Her mind was full of the revelation that her friends shared something that she could never be a part of. She'd never be able to fight like them and now… she could not share the part of their hearts that still loved Matron Edea, the woman who was now the Sorceress. Nor could she understand their desire to fight Edea and kill her if necissary.

"It's rather cold in here. I'm surprised you aren't shivering," observed a quiet voice from behind.

Rinoa jumped and latched onto the table to keep from toppling to the floor. "Geez, Squall! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"I didn't sneak up on you; you were too busy thinking to hear me," he retorted, taking a seat across from her. "I thought I was supposed to be the one who broods and irritates people by bottling everything up."

"I'm not bottling things up," Rinoa protested. "I-I just wanted some time to think."

Squall raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side. "Really?" he drawled. "Well then, would you join me in getting a snack? I only just got out of the control room…"

"Lost track of time?"

"Mmhmm."

"The cafeteria is closed, though."

"I didn't show you the vending machines, did I?"

"Vending machines?" Rinoa perked up and squinted to see in the mostly dark room.

"Over this way," Squall stood and walked to the northernmost part of the cafeteria. Low and behold, three vending machines were present: one held drinks, another junk food, and a third had all sorts of frozen deserts.

Rinoa hugged the desert vender. "Mine! All mine!"

"I don't think you can eat all that… and Zell would hunt you down if you could."

"He's obsessed with deserts, too?"

"Zell worships 'food gods.' Of course he's obsessed."

"Point…" Fishing out a few coins, Rinoa purchased a nutty bar. Squall, on the other hand, bought cola, a bag of chips, and a chocolate bar. "So… now that you and the others know you were raised together, has anything… you know, changed?"

"Not really." Squall shrugged. "They're my friends regardless, I still hate Seifer, and we're all going to find a way to stop Edea."

"You make it sound so simple." Rinoa turned away and began walking back to the table.

"It is simple. You're complicating things."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"We aren't going to leave you out or send you away. Face it, Rinoa, you're stuck with us," Squall deadpanned.

"Oh, horror," Rinoa giggled. "Hurry up and sit down so you can eat. I thought you were hungry."

"Starving," Squall agreed, taking a seat.

A/N Okay… so Squall is out of character, but hey… I think he tends to open up more around Rinoa. She's even made him blush a few times in the game, so perhaps this scene isn't _too_ farfetched.


	13. Snapshot 13

Disclaimer – (Takes a paper bag and flips it over. Nothing comes out because the bag is empty.) If I'd owned FF8, it would have been in that bag… which was empty. So clearly I don't own this.

_**Ironic**_

Visiting the Orphanage after having been away for so long was like dreaming in a way, Squall decided. There was a field of flowers nearby that hadn't been there before; it had grown in the place where he and Seifer had once played at being rival knights. Seifer had always enjoyed playing the bad guy even though Squall got to win their 'final battle' each time they played.

Squall could remember more of his childhood now. He remembered wondering what his parents had been like and standing in the rain in order to wait for Sis to return only to get sick instead. He remembered a time when he and Seifer had been virtually inseparable and they played at games that were now reality. Now they really were rival knights. Though, Squall wasn't certain he'd win the final battle this time around.

"You're getting that look again," Rinoa teased, moving to take Squall's hand.

Having heard that comment enough times before, Squall knew what look she was referring to. "I don't mean to brood. It's just… being here reminded me of Seifer and how… he used to be my best friend. We played games where we were knights when we were little. He'd be the 'bad guy' and I'd be the 'hero'. Weird, huh?"

"That is a little weird. Looks like those games have come back with a vengeance… and a deadly edge to them," Rinoa contemplated. "I can kind of imagine it, though. Little Irvine getting dragged around by Little Selphie and made to play house with her, Little Zell getting bossed around by Little Quistis because he was too meek to say 'no' at the time, and Little Squall and Little Seifer playing Sorceress Knight with wooden swords. It's kind of cute, in a sad way. Knowing how things turn out…"

"Though, Zell still gets bossed around by Quistis and he'll still do what she says despite his many complaints. And Selphie and Irvine… will definitely wind up married one day. Then they'll be 'playing house' for real." Squall squeezed Rinoa's hand. "The whole thing is ironic."

"By the way… what's this story I've been hearing about a whistle and a pony? Edea mentioned something about it earlier…" Rinoa hinted.

"The last Christmas we were here at Orphanage, Seifer had an action figure with a horse that it could 'ride' on and I got a whistle. Well, it was a recorder, but we all called it a whistle. I had more fun with the whistle than Seifer did with his toy and he stole the whistle because he got jealous…"

A/N – The whistle/pony thing is actually from the movie "The Count of Monte Cristo" and adapted to fit Seifer and Squall. I was watching The Count the other day and it stuck with me. By the way, my spellchecker wanted to replace Rinoa with Rhino… which is kind of funny.


	14. Snapshot 14

Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

**Impulse**

Squall was starting to think that this had been a very, very bad idea. There was no food, and he was starting to get hungry. He was also tired and Rinoa wasn't getting any lighter, though she wasn't exactly heavy either.

The whole event felt so surreal. Here he was, Squall Leonhart, the ice prince of Balamb Garden, and he'd just kidnapped Rinoa from the infirmary in order to take her to Esthar on the off chance that he could locate Ellone who might be able to wake the sleeping beauty. It was ridiculous and fanciful and riddled with 'maybes' and uncertainties. Most of all, the entire thing was impulsive, one thing that Squall had never been before.

"I've really changed, haven't I?" he asked aloud. "I'd never have done something like this before I met you, Rinoa. Quistis, Zell, Selphie, and Irvine probably think I've gone insane or something, because this is so… illogical. There are over a thousand ways this quest of mine can go wrong and, seeing as I didn't even pack for it, I'm already not doing well at all.

"I keep thinking that I should be angry with you for changing me so much. I _liked_ being alone; no one could hurt me. Now… I feel like I've been ripped open and nothing will be right until you're okay again." Squall sighed. "Sounds stupid, doesn't it?"

Rinoa didn't answer. Not that she could, being comatose.

Shifting the girl he carried, Squall kept walking. Just when he felt as though he might collapse from exhaustion, he caught sight of an abandoned train station. Picking up the pace, he arrived in no time; but there were already people there.

Zell glared at Squall. "Brilliant idea there, Squally. Gonna save the princess?"

"I hear that if the prince gives the princess a kiss, she'll wake up," Quistis quipped, looking amused. "You must be hungry and tired. Settle down for a little while; we're waiting for Selphie, Irvine, and Edea to get back from scouting. We're under orders to escort Edea to Esthar and, lucky for you, you're assigned to our team as leader."

"Now that you've joined up with us again, you don't need to worry about getting in trouble," Zell added.

"Oh…" Squall wasn't really sure what to say as he settled Rinoa on the station steps and then sat beside her. "I'm sorry…" he finally said. "I really don't know what I was thinking…"

"You weren't thinking," Quistis teased sharply. "It's a guy thing; you were bound to suffer from it one day."

"Oi, Quisty, shut up," Zell fumed.

"I'm just calling it like I see it," she proclaimed innocently, though her smirk gave away her intention of irritating Zell. Not to say that the tattooed blonde noticed, though.

"Hey! Guys do not suffer from an inability to think!"

"Then explain to me your obsession with the school hot dogs, which are the same consistency as pencil erasers."

"Blasphemer! Heretic!!!! The food gods shall descend upon thee and wreak their revenge!"

"Please tell me that you aren't comparing me to him, Quistis," Squall spoke up quietly. "And… do either of you have something I could snack on?"

Ignoring Zell's agitated spluttering the blonde ex-instructor fished a military-issue energy bar from one of her pockets and handed it to Squall. "Don't worry. His idiocy is on a level so low you needn't ever fret about equaling it. What you did was… worrying to us, but rather sweet as well. You've changed a lot, Squall. Now she just needs to wake up and see all you're willing to do for her."

"Is that Squall?!!" Selphie's voice could be heard shouting from a distance.

"Looks like the rest of the team has arrived…" Quistis turned to wave at the scouts. "Zell, stop whining about blasphemy, food gods, and insults. You're getting annoying."

A/N I can't help but bring up the food gods. It's becoming a hallmark of my interpretation of Zell.


	15. Snapshot 15

Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

Okay, so up until this one, all the snapshots have been in order. From here on out, though, they won't be. I'm in the process of recovering old writing from my High School days that never made it to the computer (for various reasons) and replaying the game (this time the Playstation version so that I can actually see the whole thing). Thus there are going to be more additional/extended scenes showing up. I'm not sure when I'll be completely done with the snapshots, but… it'll be a while.

_**Haunted**_

Seifer bit down on the impulse to scream aloud at the sound of Ultimecia's voice in his thoughts. He wasn't certain when Edea had melted away to be replaced with the futuristic Sorceress or if Edea had ever really been there at all. Everything was a mess…

"My knight… I require a new host," Ultimecia murmured from the depths of Seifer's mind. "We must go to Esthar and claim Adel."

"Sorceress Adel is dead. We've lost, Sorceress. Let me be free…" Seifer didn't know if he was speaking aloud or just thinking the words as he sank to his knees on the beach. In the distance Galbadia Garden could be seen; the empty wreck was only barely managing to stay aloft. Beyond Galbadia Garden was Balamb Garden and, further back, the Orphanage where Seifer vaguely remembered playing as a child.

He'd come so far from that bullying child who'd aspired to be something better. Instead, he'd lost everything. Now Ultimecia sought to take him even further from his home…

"Tch… my knight, you know nothing of Adel's fate. She lives in stasis." Ultimecia's tone grew melodious. "Besides… do you not want to take your rightful revenge? You are more than worthy of being SeeD… of leading Balamb Garden. The mission to Timber should have been yours, but _he_ got it instead. Rinoa loved you, but _he_ has tainted her heart against you.

"You should destroy Squall Leonhart before he steals anything else away from you."

"Shut up! Shut up!" Seifer pressed his hands against his ears, as if the action might silence her voice in his head. "It's over!" he insisted.

"No it isn't!"

Seifer flinched at the vehemence of her shout.

"They shunned you, mocked you, ruined you, and now you give up. Are you really so weak? Has Squall truly won here, coward? Is there no fight left in you?"

"I am not weak or afraid!" Seifer snarled. "I can always fight!"

"Then what is stopping you?"

"I'm so tired…" Seifer turned his gaze upon the ocean.

"Then rest, my knight. We will depart for Esthar when you awaken. We will prove that this setback has not defeated us… that they lack the strength necessary to put an end to us. Once we reach the Lunatic Pandora Facility, we can summon Adel from her slumber in the stars, take this world, forge our own destiny, and prove those who doubted us wrong…" there was something about Ultimecia's voice that was alluring. Seifer felt caught up once more by her intensity.

Clenching his hands into fists, Seifer nodded. "You're right. How will we reach Esthar?"

A/N – I don't know what you'll get out of this. Is Ultimecia controlling Seifer or was he acting of his own free will? I think it's some of both, but I leave it to my readers to decide.


	16. Snapshot 16

Disclaimer – I am a poor college student. How could I possibly own FF8?

_**Home**_

Squall woke up to the sight of flowers and Rinoa. His head was in her lap and she was smiling down on him with a particularly lovely expression on her face. Not really thinking about what he was saying, Squall commented on how lovely she looked and then blushed. Fortunately, he was rewarded with an even brighter smile, an attractive flush on her cheeks, and a relieved laugh.

"Welcome back to the world of the living," Rinoa teased, though there was a definite seriousness behind her words. "When I saw you lying there in Time Compression, I was so worried…"

Sitting up slowly, Squall offered Rinoa a tentative smile and was relieved when she responded positively. "I saw the past. I went back to when Edea was still running the orphanage and saw Ultimecia pass her powers on to Edea. But I couldn't seem to find my way to the present. I'm lucky you found me."

"I knew you hadn't found your way back," Rinoa admitted. "I don't know how I knew… I could just feel that you were still there. It was if I was drawn to you. Once I found you, though, I thought of this place. I figured that you would want to go home."

Looking around at the field of flowers and the orphanage just beyond the field, Squall had to admit he felt more of sentimental tie to this place than to the Garden. Really, though, it was the presence of the girl in front of him that made him feel like he was home. Looking right into Rinoa's warm, chocolate colored eyes, Squall made a decision. It was time to tell Rinoa how he felt… that he had fallen in love with the crazy girl who'd dragged him on the dance floor the night he made SeeD.

A/N – And the next day at the party he tells her and then kisses her. Aww… :)


	17. Snapshot 17

Disclaimer – There are times when I play with things that I own. This is not one of those times. Now is the time that I play with something borrowed.

_**Hideous**_

As they made their way towards Ultimecia, Zell grew increasingly reticent, drawing towards the back of the group. Curious as to what could alter Zell so drastically, Quistis moved back to walk alongside him.

"Is something wrong?" Quistis asked.

"We're… we're really about to fight Ultimecia, aren't we?" he responded nervously.

Quistis nodded. "Yeah… you're not having second thoughts, are you?"

"No!" Zell responded a bit too fast. "It's just… Adell was hideous and didn't wear a shirt… which made her more hideous. What if… what if Ultimecia is even worse?"

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Quistis tried not to laugh or make Zell feel embarrassed – an impulse not shared by the eavesdropping Selphie and Irvine, who both began giggling uproariously and drawing the attention of Squall and Rinoa – and attempted to answer honestly. "Then I suppose you'll have to try not to look at her directly, then."

"I guess," Zell muttered glumly, staring at his feet. "By the way, you didn't happen to hear whatever joke amused those two," he gestured to Selphie and Irvine, "so much, did you? I could really use some cheering up about now."

That was the last straw. Looking away from Zell, Quistis began to giggle uncontrollably while Zell wondered what was so funny.

A/N – The hideousness… it burns my eyes. I felt particularly sorry for Rinoa considering that she was practically eaten by Adell. (Shudder)


	18. Snapshot 18

Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

**The Same**

"Rinoa?" Squall walked over to stand beside the seat the dark haired sorceress sat in. "Are you still afraid of what people will think of you?"

"Yes," she bit her lip and looked up at Squall. "I don't know what to do. I'm glad you stopped them from sealing me, but at the same time…"

"Don't." Squall swiveled the chair in front of her and took a seat so that he could face her at eye level. "You haven't changed, Rinoa. You're still that crazy girl who dragged me onto the dance floor and wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. Just because you have magical powers now doesn't mean that you'll turn into some power hungry megalomaniac."

Rinoa giggled, her hand rising to cover her mouth. "Do you really think I'm the same person I've always been?"

"Of course. Don't you?"

"You've changed a lot, though. Doesn't that mean I might, too?"

Squall closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair, trying to find an answer. "But I haven't changed… not really. You just made me stop hiding the part of myself I've always been…" his eyes opened as he trailed off. "After Sis just disappeared at the orphanage, Zell, Quistis, Selphie, and Irvine were all adopted so fast that soon it was just Seifer and me with Edea at the orphanage. Then Matron sent us to Garden where Seifer made friends so easily that he left me behind too. I closed myself off; it was easier that way."

"So even though I'm different, I'm still me," Rinoa's voice sounded calmer, more assured. "You're right." Her face lit up in a grin and she launched herself into Squall's arms. "I'm still me!"

Squall pulled Rinoa onto his lap and held her much like he had at the Sorceress Memorial. Eyes shut, he felt content; more so than he could ever remember feeling before in his life.

"Awwww…" Selphie's voice caused the two to spring apart and stare at her. "Oh, don't stop on my account. That was adorable, after all. Squally… you were smiling."

Giggling, Selphie dashed out of the room and sang in an off-key tone, "Squally and Rinny, sitting in a tree…"

"I'm starting to think that girl needs a CAT-scan and a personal psychologist," Squall muttered.

A/N I adore Selphie. She always gets away with the craziest stuff. Getting Squall in character and keeping him there is tough… and I don't seem to manage it well. Oh well… I shall bravely continue on anyway.


End file.
